The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has faulted Sahara Reporters over claim that he (Adelabu) built a mansion within just two years of his appointment.
Shara Reporters had alleged that the Minister built amid electricity tariff hikes.
Sahara Reporters in a viral video that gained traction on social media platforms that Adelabu “flaunted corrupt extravagant lifestyle by building a new mansion in just two years of his appointment as a Minister.
But the Minister in a statement by one of his Media Aides, Femi Awogboro dismissed the allegations in its entirety.
He said the Minister commenced the building project since November 2021 and completed it by August 2023 before he resumed office as the Nigeria’s Minister of Power in September 2023.
Awogboro supported these claims with dated pictures of the project progress, approval documents and other project site correspondences.
He described the claim by the media outfit as false and mischievous, saying the baseless allegations is targeted towards tarnishing the good reputation of the Minister.
According to him, before Adelabu ventured into politics and public service, he has been known to be a frontline investor in real estate, agriculture and hospitality businesses.
He said the businesses were quite visible all over the city of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and other locations outside Oyo state.
He said : “Adelabu began and completed the project before his appointment and only moved into the house quietly this year due to pressure of work and timing constraints. ”
He claimed that the visibility arose through the viral video of his hosting of the popular Fuji Musician, Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma immediately after the Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election campaign flag-off.
“In fact, the Minister has lived in the same location since 2010 (as a professional finance and banking executive) when the original house was built and publicly opened.
“This is just a rebuilt of the old house, twelve years after moving in to accommodate the increased stream of activities springing up from his venturing into politics.
“So, we urge people not to be misled by Sahara Reporters claim.
“Everybody knows that Adelabu had invested heavily in hospitality, real estate businesses and others within and outside Oyo state.
“He has been doing that as part of his contributions to reduce unemployment in the state and Nigeria at large.
“The media house should continue its search for other means, as the Minister can not be pulled down with such a baseless allegation targeted at discrediting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
“We urge the media outfit to immediately retract this false
and misleading publication as the Minister may be forced to institute a legal action against the media house.”
(vitalnewsngr.com)
